REVIEW: ‘Tower of God’ Season 2 Episode 1 — “Last Chance”

Tower Of God is dense, and the season 2 premiere doesn’t hold back in adding layers of depth to its storytelling. Based on the webtoon written and illustrated by S.I.U., Tower Of God Season 2 Episode 1 delivers striking animation with genuine intrigue even as we have to wrestle with what we know of the show and the new additions. In some ways, “Last Chance” completely deviates from the series’s first season, with new faces and challenges. But Bam (Taichi Ichikawa) — now known as Jue Viole Grace — keeps us linked to the past.

It’s been six years since the tumultuous fall Bam suffered. Tower Of God Season 2 Episode 1 provides a brief reminder of what transpired. Bam’s closest confidant, Rachel (Saori Hayami), pushed him from their underwater edge, believing he had met his death. The rest of his team promises to get Rachel to the top of the tower to honor his life while he lies weakened in a deep cavern, a mysterious woman named Hwaryun standing above him. He declares he’ll climb the tower and retrieve his own answers. And that’s the last shot of the version of Bam we know because, six years later, he’s nearly unrecognizable.

Now seemingly a member of FUG, a major crime syndicate that opposes Jahad, he’s stoic and isolated. He isn’t even really the main character in Tower Of God Season 2 Episode 1. Instead, we shift gears to Ja Wangnan (Yuma Uchida). His momentum throughout the tower has petered out on the 20th floor. Known for its severe increase in test difficulty, many give up on the 20th floor, often growing bankrupt while trying to retake the tests. Wangnan is in a bad situation when we meet him, being targeted by his loan shark.

It’s partially why he’s so desperate for this next attempt to be the one where he passes on to the next floor. As he readies himself for the test, he first tries to latch onto Viole after seeing evidence of his formidable power. We get a cursory new round of faces, from a young girl seeking her parents to a mysterious, powerful man named Kang Horyang and a woman who knows the young girl, Yeo Goseng. Soon though, they all realize that Viole has the markings of a FUG slayer, and he isn’t looking to befriend them as a group.

Instead, they all launch into battle as Viole expresses his desire to pass this test alone. Viole is a “wave controller,” and the animation explodes in a controlled whirlwind of colors as he unleashes his powers on those in the test room. While the stronger try to fight him, they don’t stand a chance in hand-to-hand combat. The animation is clean and sleek, cohesively following Viole’s movement as he weaves throughout the room.

Even the moment where Viole chases Wangnan is well executed, with the latter’s characteristics injected into the flow of his movements. Where Viole is calm, Wangnan’s desperation spools through as he shouts about wanting to reach the top of the tower no matter what.

In this instance, Viole/Bam is momentarily derailed, remembering Rachel and her passion, which first drove him to chase this dream. It’s bittersweet because while it’s a flash of the character we once knew, it’s grounded in a devastating moment. Wangnan manages to momentarily overtake Viole with his Shinsu bombs, even though he is shocked by it. The shock wears off when Viole manages to heal himself despite spitting up blood from however the bombs that managed to injure him. It’s yet another moment of mystery as we’ve yet to fully dive into how Bam became Viole.

The group all managed to pass this floor despite Viole’s attacks, though they separated so that Viole could ride the elevator alone to get to the next floor. This closing moment is significant. Firstly, we see Viole having a flashback to another integral character, Khun (Nobuhiko Okamoto), who became his closest friend in season one.

He seems to see Khun in Wangnan, though that might boil down to both reaching out to Bam/Viole. Secondly, it expresses the stark difference between Tower Of God Season 2 and Season 1. In the first, Bam acquired many allies and friends who all believed in and supported him as they grew stronger due to their mounting camaraderie. And he was the lynchpin. Now, as Viole, he wanders alone.

He may be stronger than he’s ever been, but how much does that ultimately matter in the end? The episode delivers strong worldbuilding even if, as always, it remains sometimes challenging to keep up with every new character and element of the tower’s political ecosystem. Also, while the animation is sleek and definitely a technical step up from its first, something is missing now without the same level of rugged, hard lines as the first. This is a much more standardized style of anime where, whereas Season 1 embraced elements that, while rough around the edges, made for an eerie atmosphere.

The score, too, remains top-notch in Tower Of God Season 2 Episode 1. In some ways, the musical composition by Kevin Penkin (best known for his work in Made in Abyss) is synonymous with the series. Its operatic, orchestral layers give the series its science fiction and fantastical atmosphere, which builds into the narrative and action. Everything is amplified due to his work.

Tower Of God Season 2 Episode 1 is a thrilling reintroduction. While it shifts focus to a new protagonist, the story’s heart remains in Viole, even if he isn’t the character we once knew. With stunning action and a gorgeous score, the series remains a singular experience.

Tower Of God Season 2 Episode 1 is out now on Crunchyroll.